Chick box



Feb. 18, 1941.

J. w. REYNOLDS CHICKBOX Filed May 51', eas a Sheets-Sheet 1 JassF W REY/Yams Feb. 18, 1941. J. w. REYNOLDS 2,232,632

CHICK BOX Filed May 51, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOSEF W )QEYNOLDJ 3maenfor G ttorneg Feb. 18, 1941. .1. w. REYNOLDS cuxcx BOX Filed May 51, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 n M W H w J (Ittorneg Patented Feb. 18, 19 41 I UNITED, STATES omcx nox 1M w. aunties, Charlotte, N, 0., minorto Old Dominion Box companyJ-fl chbnrg, va a corporation of Virginia Application May 31, 1939, Serial No. 276,749

Claims. (Cl. 229-4) This invention relates to a container for shipping young chickens, turkeys and other poultry, the container having spaced ribs formed integral with its cover for supporting the bottom of a su- 5 perposed box in spaced relation thereto and havmeans in the sides and in the top.

tion of the top of the lowerbox will not be obstructed; therefore, it is necessary to form spaced ribs or platforms integral with the ends of the top so that the bottom of the superposed box may rest thereupon at a substantial distance above the cover, and so that other objects placed on the topmost box during shipment will not interfere with the ventilation of the top of the topmost box. Heretofore, when shipping boxes in this manner, much trouble has been occasioned,

due to the fact that the superposed box becomes offset and one end thereof slips oi! its sup f ing rib, thereby falling down upon the cover and obstructing the ventilation of the adjacent lower box. To remedy this trouble, a locking means has been provided which will prevent the superposed box from shifting relative to the box therebeneath.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cover for a chick box, which cover is formed from a single blank with downturned rims integral with its lower ends and sides, the downturned end rim portions being bent upwardly again at their lower extremities thereby forming two end layers between which the ends of the downturned side rims can be fastened. By providing end rims of this type, an even and uniform continuous surface is presented on the interior of the lid so that the cover can be easily inserted or removed from the box. Also a uniform surface on the outside of the box cover is present which will add to the attractiveness of the container.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cover for a chick box of the class described with the aforesaid bent-up end rim portions extending a substantial distance above the top of the cover to form rib supports for a superposed box, and a stiffening member extending laterally of each rib and resting on top of the cover to give added strength to the ribs and to prevent overturning or collapsing. 7

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an isometric view showing a pair of chick boxes made in accordance with the invention, one box being supported by the other;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-4 inFlgure 1;

Figure 4 is an inverted isometric view of the 15 cover used on the improved chick box;

Figure 5 is an inverted isometric view of the box upon which the cover shown in Figure 4 is adapted to be placed;

Figure 6 is an isometric view of the box when in normal position;

Figure 7 is an isometric view of a fabricated blank from which the cover shown in Figure 4 is adapted to be formed.

Referringmore specifically to the drawings, the numeral ill denotes a box having a bottom ii, end walls I2 and side walls ll. The end walls have integral therewith flaps is which are bent inwardly and secured to the interior of the side walls it by any suitable means such as staples l6. Partitions I1 and III are secured between the side walls and end walls of the box by any suitable means such as staples it and 20, respectively.- These partitions divide the interior of the box ll into four compartments which are used for housing live animals such as baby chicks. In order to provide the necessary ventilation within the box, suitable perforations 2|, 22, 23 and 24 areprovided in members l2, I4, I! and I8 respectively. Although any suitable material may be used in forming a box of this type, it is preferable in many instances to form the same from corrugated paper with the corrugations in the box running transversely thereof so that the end flaps it may be bent at right angles to the corrugations thereby giving added strength to the corners of the box.

A cover ll is provided for fitting over the upper side of the box lll,shown in Figure 6, said cover being formed from a single sheet of material which is fabricated as shown in Figure 7. This cover comprises a top portion 3| having integral with the sides thereof suitable rim portions 32, said rim portions having flaps 33 integral with each end thereof. The portion li also has integral with each end thereof extensions 34 which are bent to form the endrimofthelidaswellas to form a supporting rib which extends s bstantially above the top surface of the cover.

In the formation of the cover 30, the side portions 32 are bent downwardly along dotted lines 36 (Figures 1 and 'I). Then the extensions 34 are bent downwardly along dotted lines 31. with the end and side portions bent downwardly, the end flaps 33 are then bent inwardly at substantially r ght angles along dotted lines 38 so that the inner face of flaps 33 will be disposed against the exterior of the downturned extensions 34. Then the extensions "are again bent upwardly along dotted lines 3! thereby confining the end fiaps 33, after which suitable staples 4. and 400 are used to secure the doubled portion of extensions 34 on opposed sides of end flaps 33.

At this stage of the construction, the lid portion 3| has been formed with down-turned side and end rims, but the extensions 34 remain to be further bent so as to form supporting ribs for a superposed box. The next step is to bend the extensions 34 towards each other along lines 4i and again along the dotted lines 42 so that the extremity of these extensions will be ultimately directed downwardly against the top portion 3! of the cover 30. It will be noted that these extensions have wedge shaped portions 44 integral therewith, with notches 44a cut in opposed sides thereof which are adapted to fit into suitable slots 45 in portion 3| of the lid. The length of the slots 45 is slightly less than the overall length of the projections and due to the notches 44a, it is possible to shift the'projections slightly longitudinally of the slots and cause the same to be anchored thereinto in the mariner shown in Figures 2 and 3.

When the blanks are fabricated, they are creased along the dotted lines 36, 31, 38, 38 and 4| and 42 so that bending can be more easily accomplished during the construction of the lid. By observing Figure 7, it will be noted that the crease lines 42 do not extend entirely across the extensions 34. At the point where a break occurs in the crease line 42, a tab 46 has been cut in the extension; consequently, when the box is formed and the extensions 34 are bent along lines 42, the tabs 46 will project upwardly above the top of ribs 48 in the manner shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. These tabs 46 areadapted to fit into suitable slots 49 in the bottom of a supe posed box ill (see Figures 2, 3 and 5). It is, therefore seen that when.a box is superposed upon another that the superposed box cannot become dislocated from the ribs 48 on the supporting lid, when the two boxes are fixed together.

In order to give added rigidity to the ribs 48, a suitable stiffening tab 52 has been provided in each of the extensions 34. along the dotted lines 53 toward the interior of the ribs 48 and in such a position that the lower edges of these tabs will be disposed against the top of the cover. This stiffening tab 52 is of especial importance when the rib is called upon to carry a heavy load. Since the upper portion of this tah-.$ 'm, also in close proximity to the lower interior portion of the rib 48, any overturning of either of the ribs will be resisted.

In the construction of the lid, the corrugations are preferably lengthwise of the lid as shown in Figure 7 in order to give the desired rigidity and to also cause the flaps 33 and extensions 34 to be bent at right angles to the corrugations. This has been proved to be the most eifective and ellicient way to construct the cover with a view of These tabs are bent I obtaining maximum strength. Also suitable perforations Ii are provided in the top of the box at a point between the ribs 48. These perforations admit air to the interior of the box and since the ribs 48 support a superposed box at a substantial distance above these perforations, the fiow of air is not materially obstructed.

The interior of the box lid, as well as the exterior, is constructed with a uniform surface. The end tabs 33 do not appear on the outside or on the inside of the box, consequently when using the lid there is no obstruction which would prevent easy insertion or removal. By concealing the tabs 33 from exterior view, a neater box is provided and it is also possible to provide the supporting ribs by extending portions 34 which form interior and exterior covers for the fiaps 33.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

, 1. In a container for shipping live baby chicks and the like, a box portion and a lid portion adapted to telescopically fit over the box portion, the lid portion having down-turned sidewalls and down-turned end walls, the sidewalls having flaps extending from each end thereof and bent inwardly against the downturned ends of the lid portion, the downturned ends of the lid portion being doubled upon themselves to confine the flaps of the sidewalls therebetween and projecting upwardly a substantial distance above the upper surface of the lid portion and then projecting inwardly in a horizontal direction and then downwardly, and having portions thereof penetrating the main lid portion for forming supporting bridges on each end of the lid portion for supporting 'a similar box disposed in superposed relation to the first box.

2. In a container for shipping live baby chicks and the like, a box portion and a lid portion adapted to telescopically fit over the box portion, the lid portion having downturned sidewalls and downturned end walls, the sidewalls having flaps extending from each end thereof and bent inwardly against the downturned ends of the lid portion, the downturned ends of the lid portion being doubled upon themselves to confine therebetween the flaps on the sidewall portions and projecting upwardly a substantial distance above the upper surface of the lid portion and then projecting inwardly in a horizontal direction and then downwardly and having projections penetrating the main lid portion for forming supporting bridges on each end of the lid portion for supporting a similar box disposed in superposed relation to the'first box, said bridge portions having each an upwardly projecting tab and the bottom of each box having slots therein for receiving said upwardly projecting tabs to prevent lon- V gitudinal and lateral relative movement between the two boxes when the two boxes are stacked one upon the other.

3. In a container for shipping live baby chicks and the like, a box portion and a lid portion adapted to telescopically fit over the box portion, the lid portion having downturned sidewalls and downturned end walls, the sidewalls having flaps extending from each end thereof and bent inwardly against the downturned ends of the lid portion, the downturned ends of the lid portion supporting bridges on each end of the lid portion for supporting a similar box disposed in superposed relation to the first box, said bridge portions having each an upwardly projecting tab and the bottom of each box having slots therein for receiving said upwardly projecting tabs to prevent longitudinal and lateral movement be- ,tween the two boxes when the two boxes are stacked one upon the other, the downturned portion of said flap which is adapted to rest against the upper side of the lid having a scored portion adapted to be bent inwardly to interioriy support the upper surface of the bridge portion.

4. In a chick box, the combination of a bottom structure including side walls and end walls, and a top adapted to telescopically fit over the bottom structure, the top having end walls and side walls, the side walls having tabs extending from each end thereof adapted to be folded against the end walls, the end wall portions being of sufllcient length to be folded upon themselves to form the end walls of double thickness to confine the tabs of the sidewalls therebetween and also being of suflicient length to be directed upwardly, then horizontally and ,then downwardly against the upper edge of the 5. In a chick box, the combination of abottom structure including side walls and end walls, and a top having sidewalls and end walls to telescopically fit over the bottom structure, the top having end walls and side walls, the side walls having tabs extending from each end thereof adapted to be folded against the end walls, the end wall portions being of suflicient length to be folded upon themselves to form the end walls of double thickness to confine the tabs of the sidewalls therebetween and also being of sumcient length to be directed upwardly, then horizontally and then downwardly against the upper edge of the top and means for securing the end of the said downwardly extending folded end portion to the upper surface of the box top to provide a pair of spaced transversely disposed ribs at each end of the top for supporting another similar box on said ribs, the said similar box having a plurality of holes in its bottom and said ribs having upwardly extending projections adaptedto flt into said holes when two of said boxes are disposed in superposed relation to each other.

JOSEF W. REYNOLDS. 

